Legislative assembly | Gov’t reaffirms mutual recognition of drivers’ licenses benefits locals

Secretary for Transport and Public Works Raimundo do Rosário

The director of the Transport Bureau (DSAT), Lam Hin San, has reaffirmed that “it is better for Macau residents” to have drivers’ licenses which are mutually recognized in Macau and mainland China.

During yesterday’s Legislative Assembly (AL), lawmakers debated the mutual driving license recognition. Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Raimundo do Rosário, and the DSAT Director, Lam Hin San, both attended the AL.

Among those who expressed their strong opposition to the policy, Lei Cheng I started by questioning the government about fact-based evidence, goals and references behind the proposal of such license recognition.

When replying to Lei, Lam said “the consideration has always been Macau residents. When the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge opens, many residents will need to travel, will need to do business, or go to mainland China. […] In each of the recent years, between 3,000 and 5,000 Macau residents took a driving license test in mainland China.”

“Previously, we did not take into consideration the fact that, each year, the number of Macau residents taking mainland driving license tests was increasing. […] Expanding the recognition to the entire country [rather than just to Guangdong] is better for Macau residents,” explained Lam.

Mak Soi Kun supported the recognition granted by the licenses, and pointed out that mainland residents can still drive in Macau as long as they obtain driving licenses from Hong Kong.

Lam then noted that “on average, more than 50,000 mainland residents acquired their driving licenses in Hong Kong. […] These residents can also drive in Macau due to the mutual recognition established between Hong Kong and Macau.”

Lam also believes that the number of vehicles for rental will remain at 100 units after the recognition is approved.

“Even if tens of thousands of mainland residents come to Macau, there will only be 100 cars available for renting,” announced Lam.

According to Lao Sio Hap, a representative of the police authority present at yesterday’s AL, Macau has more than 7,000 registered non-local drivers, including 2,500 from mainland China.

Au Kam San wanted to know the number of Macau residents who are currently doing business in mainland China. Lam replied that the related data was temporarily unavailable to him.

Zheng Anting commented that “the recognition will worsen the transportation network.” But Lao Sio Hap said that the “driving licenses’ mutual recognition does not have a direct connection with the increase in the number of cars and the exacerbation of traffic jams.”

Moreover, according to the Lao, in 2016, nine out of 510 transportation accidents, which resulted in injuries, were caused by mainland drivers; in 2017, the total number of accidents with injuries was 505, of which 13 were caused by mainland drivers.

Wu Chou Kit voiced his support for the recognition of such licenses, saying, “I find it hilarious that we cannot recognize our own country’s driving license.”

DSAT director Lam said that in the first 10 months of 2017, the mainland reported a total of 20,700 transportation violations, including minor ones, which were caused by Macau residents.

On the sideline of yesterday’s AL, both DSAT director Lam and Secretary Rosário declared that “it will not be that serious,” when they were asked if they wanted to anger between 20,000 and 30,000 residents who would organize a demonstration to call on the government to cancel the proposal.

Once again, Lam stated that “the consideration has always been the welfare of Macau residents.” JZ